Bulls Smacked With An All-time Whipping

Orlando Romps By Record 47 Points

This is not some major revelation, but at least first-year Bulls coach Tim Floyd knows what's going on in the NBA right now.

"We haven't been as good and maybe injuries have had something to do with that," Floyd said.

"The other factor is teams are gearing up for playoff positioning. We have to understand that."

That would explain why the better teams are beating up on the worst teams right now, which, perhaps, is the easiest way to explain Orlando's 115-68 hammering of the Bulls at the United Center on Friday night.

It was the biggest loss in the 33-year history of the Bulls (9-23), who once lost by 44 points to the Detroit Pistons in Detroit in 1969. The Bulls have dropped six of their last seven games. Five of those losses have come against teams making postseason runs--Orlando, Detroit, Atlanta and twice to Toronto. But the last two losses to the Pistons and Magic (23-10) have been by a combined 76 points.

"Basically, we could have stayed at home," said Dickey Simpkins, who called for a players-only meeting Saturday. "We didn't come out to play, we didn't come out to work and I don't think anybody earned their paychecks tonight."

Anfernee Hardaway, who has complained about his lack of shots this season, led Orlando with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Dominique Wilkins, who recently turned 39, had 19 points, scoring seven points in less than a minute to close out the first quarter.

Toni Kukoc led the Bulls with 13.

Orlando continues to have the best record in the Eastern Conference and leads second-place Miami by two games in the Atlantic Division.

Only New Jersey (6-24) has a worse mark than the Bulls in the Eastern Conference.

"I was surprised--I was really shocked," Orlando coach Chuck Daly said. "We haven't had a game like this all year. I don't know quite how to act or to respond."